Corpus Christi R. C. Church Complex facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Corpus Christi (Church)
Location	199 Clark Street, Buffalo, New York
Country	United States
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Website	Corpus Christi Church
History
Status	Parish church
Founded	1898
Founder(s)	Hyacinth Fudzinski
Dedicated	1907
Architecture
Functional status	"Active"
Completed	June 13, 1909 (church)
Construction cost	US$200 thousand
Specifications
Capacity	1,650
Length	170 feet (51.8 m)
Width	90 feet (27.4 m)
Materials	Onondaga limestone faced with Medina sandstone

The Corpus Christi R.C. Church Complex is a group of buildings in Buffalo, New York. It is on the historic East Side of the city. This complex belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo. It includes the Kolbe Center, Sears Street Hall, a Rectory, a Convent, and a very large sandstone church. The church building stands tall over the neighborhood. The school that was once part of the complex closed in 1982. It was later taken down.

History of the Church

Corpus Christi was the seventh Polish church started in Buffalo. A Franciscan friar named Fr. Hyacinth Fudzinski founded the church. He came from Czarnków, Poland. The church was built to help the growing Polish community on the East Side. Many immigrants moved into the neighborhood in the early 1900s. This caused the church community to grow a lot.

However, over the last 30 years, the church has faced challenges. Many people moved from the city to the suburbs. This meant fewer people attended masses. The church school also closed in the early 1980s.

About the Church Building

The main church building was finished in 1907. Its impressive front is made from Hummelstown brownstone. This stone came from Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. The church has three large bells. All of them are in the north tower. The biggest bell was made in 1898. The two smaller bells were put in place in 1948. All the bells were made by the Meneely Bell Foundry in Troy, New York.

Before the crosses were placed on top of the towers, they were filled with letters. These letters were written by the children from the parish's school. The original windows of the church are made of Munich-style stained glass. They were created by Franz Mayer works in Munich, Germany.

Corpus Christi Today

In June 2003, the Franciscan Friars decided they could no longer manage the community. This was due to money and other issues. Because of this, a group called "The Friends of Corpus Christi" was formed. They looked for another religious order to lead the church.

Their search was successful! The Pauline Fathers agreed to take over the church property. They promised to continue its rich history. As of 2025, the Paulines have two priests and one brother. They are currently serving the church community. Fr. Anselm Chalupka is the current Pastor.

The entire church complex was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. This means it is recognized as an important historical site.

Gallery

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  side view

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  convent

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  rectory

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  plaque to the right of the front entrance

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  sign to the left of the front entrance

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  scaffolding for renovation (May 2011)

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  Front view